10+ More Young-Adult Fantasy Series Like Shatter Me
For a series that was originally published in 2011, Shatter Me has had a resurgence, especially on Booktok. The 2010’s dystopian vibes make the Shatter Me series so addicting to read. If you read the series and are looking for more dystopian series to dive head first into, then look no further with the list of books like Shatter Me below.
1. This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
If you loved Tahereh Mafi’s writing style in Shatter Me, then you need to check out her more recent book series — This Woven Kingdom.
To the world, Alizeh is just a servant. However, in reality, she is the long-lost heir to the Jihn kingdom that is forced to hide her true identity.
Kamran, the crown prince, has always heard of the prophecies that foretell the death of the king. He couldn’t imagine the servant girl who he couldn't put out of his mind would be the one to uproot his kingdom.
This Woven Kingdom has political intrigue, forbidden romance, and is based on Persian mythology. It’s the perfect next series to sink your teeth into.
2. Divergent By Veronica Roth
Can you believe — as someone who grew up during the 2010’s dystopian craze — that I have never read the Divergent series before? However, I can say that I have watched all the movies-adaptations (for better or worse!)
Society is divided into five factions — Candor for honesty, Abnegation for selflessness, Dauntless for bravery, Amity for peacefulness, Erudite for intelligence. Beatrice has the choice to either stay with her Abnegation family, or transfer to a different faction.
On a whim, her choice reveals secrets about the world and about Trice herself that will bring on danger.
Divergent is similar to Shatter Me as it is also a young-adult dystopian series that has a romance that is worth fighting for. If you love the 2010’s dystopian vibes, then Divergent is your perfect next read.
3. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
The world is divided by blood. Those with Red blood are common and serve the Silver-blooded elite who have superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red. She barely scrapes by as a thief, until she is thrown in front of the Silver court. Everything changes when before the royal court and nobles, she discovers her own ability.
However, the king cannot let this happen. He forces Mare to play the role of the lost Silver princess that is set to marry one of his sons. As time goes on, Mare joins the Scarlet Guard — a Red rebellion — even though her heart is pulling her into a different direction.
The dystopian world, intrigue, and the forbidden romance elements of The Red Queen reminds me of Shatter Me. Yet another series to binge read!
4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Love has been declared as a dangerous disease. The government forces everyone who has reached the age of eighteen to have a procedure called the Cure.
Lena lives with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in Portland, Maine and she is very much looking forward to being cured. Lena watched love destroy her mother, so all she wants is a safe and predictable life.
However, with ninety-five days left until the Cure, she meets Alex, who is from the Wilds and lives under the government’s radar. What will happen if Lena decides that love is worth the risk?
Delirium is part of a dystopian book trilogy that has forbidden love and revolutionary elements, making it similar to Shatter Me.
5. The Selection by Kiera Cass
Do you want a book like Shatter Me that has dystopian vibes, but is also set in a royal “The Bachelor-esque” setting? Then look no further than The Selection.
The Selection is a chance of a lifetime. Thirty-five girls have the opportunity to escape their own caste system to live in a palance and compete for Prince Maxon’s love. Unfortunately for America, being Selected is her worst nightmare. She doesn't want to leave behind her secret relationship with Aspen, who is a caste below her which makes their relationship forbidden.
When America meets Prince Maxon, she realizes that her future might change for the better (cue love triangle!)
The Selection is like Shatter Me, but with more fairytale and dating show vibes. The trilogy will captivate your attention and will certainly be an entertaining read!
6. Legend by Marie Lu
Want a series like Shatter Me that has action, suspense, and romance? May I present you with Legend.
The western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation that is always at war. Fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy. Born into an elite family in a wealthy district, she has been set up for a successful career in the military. Whereas, fifteen-year-old Day was born into the slums and is the most wanted criminal in the Republic.
June and Day have no reason for their paths to cross, until June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and the prime suspect is Day. Caught in the middle of a cat and mouse chase, Day is fighting for his family’s survival and June is avenging Metias’s death. However, they come to find out the real reason why they were brought together and it is so much bigger than just the two of them.
A romance between two characters who are from completely different worlds while set in a war-torn world is what reminds me the most of Shatter Me. Personally, I haven't read the Legend series before, but it sounds like it will be action-filled and tension-filled!
7. Matched by Allie Condie
Who knew how popular the dystopian romance genre really is? Matched is yet another trilogy that is like Shatter Me, in the sense that romance prevails in a controlled, dystopian society.
In the Society, the Officials decide everything — from who you love, where you work, and ultimately where you die.
Cassia has always found herself to trust the Society and the Officials. When her best friend appears on the Matching screen, she is certain he is the one for her, except when she sees a flash of another face before the screen fades to black. Now she must choose between Xander and Ky. Perfection or truth.
Like Shatter Me, Matched has yet another love triangle to be both entertained and annoyed by!
8. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
What if Shatter Me had cyborgs? Cinder definitely explores the answer to that question.
New Beijing is filled with both humans and androids. When a deadly plague ravages the world, the ruthless lunar people watch from space and wait to make their next move. However, no one knows that the fate of the world relies on one girl.
Cinder is a gifted mechanic and a cyborg. She’s considered to be a second-class citizen with a critical stepmother that blames her for her stepsister’s illness. When her life unexpectedly becomes intertwined with Prince Kai, she finds herself in the middle of an intergalactic struggle and a forbidden romance.
Cinder must choose between duty and freedom, and loyalty and betrayal.
A high-stakes, Cinderella retelling that has the dystopian romance vibes of Shatter Me? Sign me up.
9. The Raven Boys by Maggie
I read The Raven Cycle series this year and fell absolutely in love with the storytelling and the friendships. If you loved the found-family aspects of the Shatter Me series, then you will love the found-family of The Raven Boys.
Blue is from a family of psychics. The problem is that she is not one.
Blue never sees the soon-to-be dead, until this year she sees a boy emerge from the dark and speak to her. His name is Gansey — a rich student from the elite, private school at Aglionby. Blue knows the Aglionby boys as the Raven Boys and they mean trouble. However, Blue is drawn to Gansey for some reason.
Gansey is on a quest with three other Raven Boys — Adam, Ronan, and Noah. Soon enough, Blue finds herself pulled into the quest and the magic that follows.
For all her life, Blue has been told that she will cause her true love to die. As she is further caught up with the Raven Boys and the strange world around her, she is not so certain of that fate anymore.
While the book is not exactly like Shatter Me because it is more of a fantasy and less of a dystopian book, you will find yourself to fall in love with the quest-adventure and found-family friendships of The Raven Boys.
10. Unwind by Neal Shusterman
I can’t write a blog about books like Shatter Me without including my favorite dystopian series that I read as a teen, which is the Unwind Dystology.
The books are set in dystopian America where after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies settled in an agreement. According to the Bill of Life, human life cannot be terminated until the child reaches the age of thirteen. From ages thirteen to eighteen, the child may go through a process called “unwinding” by the discretion of their parents.
The process repurposes the teen’s organs and body parts to other living recipients. The unwound child’s life technically doesn't end, but instead lives on in the bodies of others. Society’s leaders tell the people that this is the most healthy and safe option for the world and unwanted children are used for the greater good.
Unwind follows Conner — who is religious and ordered to be unwound by his parents, Rita — who is a ward of the state and slated to be unwound for cost cutting reasons, and Lev — who is the tenth child of his family and was destined to be unwound since birth for religious purposes.
Their paths intersect as they are fighting for their lives, but do they stand a chance to escape their fates?
The dystopian setting of Unwind makes it similar to Shatter Me, however I will say the tone and themes are a bit darker in Unwind. But don’t let that scare you away from reading a fantastic dystopian series!
11. Uglies by Scott Westerfield
If you want a dystopian romance book series that is like Shatter Me and also has a show adaptation, then you should consider reading Uglies.
Tally cannot wait to turn sixteen. In a few weeks, she will have an operation that will turn her from ugly to pretty. As a pretty, she will be catapulted into paradise where her only job is to have fun.
However, Tally’s new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to become a pretty, resulting in Shay running away. Tally learns that the new side of the pretty world isn’t all that pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice — find and turn Shay in, or never turn pretty ever.
About the Author
Madi is an avid reader at heart. When she doesn't have her nose buried in a book, she enjoys creating social media content and watching romantic comedies. However, nothing beats a cozy night-in spent reading a book.
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